Dog Incontinence Issues
As Fido ages, dog incontinence becomes more common; yet on the other hand, age doesn’t always matter. Breed can play a large role in this common problem as well as spay induced incontinence.
Female Dobermans are highly susceptible to incontinence and it is believed to be genetic. Spay Incontinence aka Urethral Sphincter Mechanism Incompetence (USMI) happens after a female is spayed and the necessary hormone “estrogen” is significantly reduced.
Estrogen aids in muscle tone for the sphincter which constricts when a dog urinates. When there is a lack of estrogen, there is also a lack of much needed muscle tone to hold the urine in.
Collagen Injections For Treating Urinary Incontinence In Dogs
Urethral collagen injections are now available for dogs whose incontinence is unmanageable or the owner just doesn’t want to deal with medicating the dog daily.
Acting as a bulking agent, the collagen acts as an obstruction to improve dog incontinence. Dogs are placed under general anesthesia and an endoscope is used to inject three to four deposits of collagen. Studies are positive showing 50-68% of dogs showing full continence. However, studies also show that the procedure may need to be repeated since the collagen breaks down with time. Keep in mind that collagen injections are cheaper than the traditional surgical treatment of Colposuspension which includes tacking the vagina to the bottom of the belly wall while compressing the urethra.
While this could be promising for many dog owners, unfortunately there are only a few places performing the surgery. Reason being; the need for a cystoscopy which allows the Veterinarian to look at the lining of the urethra and the bladder.
Don’t get discouraged though; if you feel that collagen injections might be the answer for your dog, talk to your Vet. If he can’t do the surgery; he may be able to recommend another facility for you.
Check out my article on dog incontinence help and what finally worked for our incontinent doberman.
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